I really love the concept of these videos. Each one of them serves as an inspiration on its own. The three that I focussed on all had very different messages. And this made it clear that not only can design inspiration come from anything, but design has a vast untapped potential.
Allan Cochinov gets his inspiration from bar jukebox quarters, while Georgia Christensen was greatly inspired by a chimney that her dad built. And Ric Grefe gets his inspiration from cultures. The main point that driven home here is that ideas can come from everything. Inspiration can come from everything if it is looked at with a unique perspective; actively not passively. And I think that this is a very important concept in design.
What really was great about these short little videos was the second question they were asked: “What is the next thing design can accomplish?” And it was in these answers that it became very relevant that design is a sort of separate entity from most establishments. Designers have such a unique way of thinking, with so much potential to solve problems and improve the quality of life, and they are simply not being used for this purpose. Christensen would like to see design in the comfort of public transportation. But what Ric Grefe said I thought was particularly important. He said that at the heart of great design is simplicity, and an empathy for real people. And he goes on to say that if we bring designers to the table, and incorporate their skills and way of thinking into things like policymaking, business and society, that this could lead to great changes.
I have never looked at design in such a way, so I appreciated these videos a lot. I look forward to watching some more in my free time!
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